65topless

hello everybody , i am the new proud owner of a 65 dynamic convertible but it has a few electrical problems .i think some might be related to the prior owner instalation of a cd player...
here i go:
1-my reverse lights do not work

2-all rear lights do work when i turn the lights on but the left side is dimmer than the right side , also my right top light doesn't work when i turn the indicator on or when i brake my right bottom light is the only one getting brighter when i use the brakes

3-my left side lights (bottom and top )do not work when i brake but work when i use the indicator .

4-oh yes also when i use the turn signal , the sound from the cd player/ radio stops for about 2 to 3 seconds.

that's about it for now .. i would apprieciate any help available .. thank you

ozoneblue

Start by checking all your ground wires at the dim lights & clean the sockets good

Oldsmaniac

Check the bulbs, You will see there are 2 filaments in the brake/tail-light bulb. There are springs behind the contacts in the sockets...they get worn and do not tension the bulb properly causing problems with brake or the light part of bulb. I have built up the lead contacts with solder on bulbs to cure this problem. Check that the lamp sockets are grounded properly. Ya may need to start over hooking up the CD player...sounds like they tapped for power on a wire they should not have.

65topless

thank you for the very appreciated help, this is really my first classic that i intend to work on and make better.. all your help, idea and advice are very important to me and welcome.
i have checked the filament , they are all good , now i will check the contact and grounds ..
do you gentlemen have some suggestion as where to find electrical schematics and parts for the dynamic 88 convertible ??

thank you

will post pictures of the wiring mess and progress ...

65topless

is it ok to spray wd 40 in the sockets and contacts ??

Oldsmaniac

WD-40 is ok to spray but will do next to nothing if there is rust or corrosion in there....Look for a factory Chassis Service Manual...you can find them on EBay and it will tell you most everything you will need to know about your car...and shows wiring. You need a manual for 1965....Also Sometimes the filaments in the bulbs look good but they are not...test with a battery or meter to be sure.

65topless

well to continue the story , i have found out that my windshield wipers are not really working , well they worked once 10 minutes after i tried to turn them on . and of course i still haven't figured out what is wrong with the rear lights. But i have to admitt i have left it alone for a while untill i receive that new old parts book and repair manual that i got on ebay thanks to some great advice from the forum.
i was wondering if i shouldn't just invest into a new electrical wire system for my 65 .. and if so where would i get it , anybody has a suggestion as to whom does the best electrical system , ease of use and install, practicality and durability ...
any imput is as always very welcome .. thank you
pictures of the beast are available at that website

Oldsmaniac

I dont believe there are wire-ing harnesses available just for your car...there may be generic ones but I dont think you are at that point. It would be quite involved to rewire a car. I suggest you buy an electrical test meter...they are cheap, and start checking for voltage at different spots. You can trace wires back to the source of the problem and also test for grounds. I have 4 cars from 1966.....a little cleaning, tweaking, and checking is all that it took to get lights and other electrical devices working.

Oldsguy

I agree, I don't think '65 makes a car too old (talking about wiring condition) unless it spent a lot of time near the sea or under water. Corrosion is the enemy of wiring as it is for most car systems. If you car doesn't have much body rust or damage you may find the wiring is in similar condition. A little of attention and preventive maintenance should fix you up fine.

perro

thats a beautiful car 65 topless!!

id like to mention the use of wd40, and recommend against it.
im an electrician by trade, and ive done my fair share of pool pump rooms. but before i go into that, lets talk about what wd40 is and what it is not.
wd40 is more of a solvent than a protective oil. The wd stands for water displacing and all of that, but in my experiance it is much more of a solvent. It works wonders at removing bumper sticker glue, and what not, but long term protection against corrosion it does not do well at all cause it evaporates leaving the metal untreated.

Since it is much more of a solvent, when it evaporates it removes any good corrosion preventative that might have been on there before (youd be suprised at how much there might really be).

back to pool pump rooms. Ive seen electrical equipment completely rusted shut in less than 1 month from being sprayed with wd40 and when you compare it to a piece of gear that hasnt been wiped down with wd40 in the same room, the difference is night and day with the untreated stuff being not nearly as corroded.

in my personal experiance with the stuff, its not useful as a corrosion preventative.


one more thing id like to offer up on your wiring problems, and its just a bit of advice ive learned over the years.
if all else fails to fix your light problems, turn to your turn signal switch.
dang near every light on your vehicle runs through that switch inside of your steering column, and everyone ive ever seen has been plastic, and they like to crack from heat, age, and or use. cant say this is your problem, or that a 65 has a plastic T.S. switch inside of the column (the white plastic thing your turn signal lever bolts onto inside the column), but if you have tried everything else, and you still cant get your problems ironed out, turn to the T.S. switch.

if no wiring harness is available, you can always rewire your harness yourself. This isnt hard to do at all. i can probably help with that with advice, and with sources for the stuff to do it.

Mike